Why would you want both
a vector and raster version of the same area? I, for one, find the clean
presentation of vector is sometimes nicely complemented by the original
detail of raster, though I admit speaking as one who was data-deprived
in his youth. In truth, having either Maptech’s or Nobeltec’s
massive information libraries running on a good PC feels like you came
back from a proper chandlery with a wheelbarrow of printed goods.

Not everyone wants to
wrestle with a PC on his or her bridge, regardless of the wealth of information
contained therein. The majority of digital charts in use are on simple
memory cards in dedicated chartplotters. Traditionally, two big manufacturers
produced somewhat pricey cards that covered smallish areas and worked
in a variety of other manufacturers’ hardware. Big changes are underway.
For one thing, Garmin stepped into this market in a huge way. Already
the dominant maker of handheld GPSs and prone to offering its own proprietary
cartography, Garmin came out in 2001 with a series of large chartplotters
that directly compete with the likes of Raymarine and Furuno and full
detail BlueCharts that look a lot like Navionics and C-Map products, only
less expensive… for a while.

Navionics just announced
its new XL series of chart cards. Until now, the company’s best offering
was L-size cards that could hold up to 32 megabytes of charts (like West
Palm through the Florida Keys) and sold for $299. A 128-meg XL card covers
three to four L-size regions (all of Florida) and retails at $199. Three
times the data for two-thirds the price–that’s price cutting!
If you just need the smaller L area, they are now reduced more than 50
percent to $129. Similarly, C-Map has doubled the coverage of its Wide
series and introduced SuperWide cards (all of Florida plus Georgia and
South Carolina), both at astonishingly reduced dollars per chart.

Chart-card makers are
also competing on looks and other features. Garmin managed to give BlueCharts,
which are actually based on the same Transas database as Passport charts,
a notably readable presentation and rich search features. Simultaneous
with reduced pricing, C-Map is introducing an upgraded data format, dubbed
NT+, which includes numerous presentation improvements such as user-selectable
color schemes and fonts and more customizable layering. Use of the added
options is smartly simplified with a series of display control modes,
like "full," "simple," and "fishing." NT+
also includes "Guardian Technology," whereby the plotter minds
your heading line for charted shoals; it’s much like the "look
ahead" function on the Sea Ray Navigator profiled elsewhere in this
issue (see "Building a Better Brain") but otherwise a completely
unique feature for plotters and one which could save a distracted navigator’s
butt.